[Jeannie Prinsen grilled me about faith and being a judge and justice and law and … well, here’s a sample. You can read the whole thing over at her place.]

– How would you define justice in legal terms and in God’s terms?

Legally, justice is the pursuit of the best decision allowed under the law. If there’s a better result but the law does not allow it, then the law governs the result and we consider it just even if not ideal. (I wrote a bit on this here.)

God’s justice is complex because it cannot be viewed standing by itself. It must be considered as intertwined with humility and mercy (Micah 6:8), and as leading to the vindication of the few even if it means letting the multitudes off the hook. (Genesis 18:16-33.) Ultimately, that’s what Jesus did. He humbly performed an act of supreme mercy (Philippians 2:8), and did so in order to justify – or vindicate – some. (Luke 13:22-30.)

– We hear people refer (sometimes disparagingly, sometimes admiringly) to “American-style justice.” Is there a unique American “style” of justice?

[For the answer to that question and a few others, click on over to Little House on the Circle. Then click through Jeannie’s archives and enjoy her great writing.]